211 Undercurrents

Though there was still one more item up for auction, Paul figured it was probably best to leave before the person seated in booth number three came looking for trouble. Fortunately, while the VIP booths were located relatively close to one another, the passages leading up to them were entirely separate, affording the people leasing them the maximum amount of privacy when departing to collect their items.

Upon reaching the exterior of the Auction House, Paul briefly turned his gaze skyward, marveling at the star-filled sky overhead as he remarked, "It's still pretty early. Want to walk around for a bit before we head back?"

Speaking before Ei or Lilia, Ghislaine flatly replied, "I'd rather change out of these clothes first. After that, I'm down for pretty much anything."

Shifting his gaze to the busty, kimono-wearing cat girl, Paul remarked, "I'm not going to force the matter, but you should get used to dressing in more formal attire. After all, you 'are' the Ambassador of the Great Forest. It might be a pain in the ass, but you'll have to meet and interact with all kinds of Nobles in the future."

Exhaling a steamy sigh, a byproduct of the frigid evening air, Ghislaine groaned, "What a pain in the ass..."

Empathizing with Ghislaine's plight, a wry smile developed across Paul's face as he said, "Look on the bright side. Most dignitaries hailing from the Great Forest are easily taken advantage of due to their lack of knowledge about the outside world. You have all of us to support you, so even if you aren't the sharpest tool in the shed, you don't have to worry about falling prey to the schemes of others."

Furrowing her brows, Ghislaine narrowed her eyes at Paul as she asked, "Are you calling me an idiot?"

Restraining a chuckle, Paul teased, "Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. You might lack knowledge, but you're a genius at combat. Once you reach the Rank of an Emperor or a God, people will agree with you even if you say the sky is purple."

Though she was slightly annoyed at Paul's quip about her being a little dull, Ghislaine couldn't help smiling as she imagined herself as a Sword God. Such heights seemed beyond her reach just a few years ago. Now, thanks to the power of her Anemo Vision and an abundance of powerful training partners, she could already trade blows with an Emperor at the relatively young age of twenty-three. If she could handily defeat one of the existing Kings, Gal may even bequeath her the title of Emperor right then and there...

Interrupting Ghislaine's reverie, Paul remarked, "How about this? Once we return to the Inn, we'll have Ganyu take your measurements. If it's her, I'm certain she could make you an outfit that's both elegant and easy to move in. If not, we could always modify one of the outfits from the IOF to make it fit you. I'll ask Katheryne to lend or sell me the catalog so you can take a look."

Though her cat-like ears perked up, Ghislaine crossed her arms and averted her eyes from Paul as she replied, "You shouldn't waste money. Just pick something you think suits me. If it sucks, I'll be sure to let you know."

Nodding his head in affirmation, Paul shifted his gaze to Ei and Lilia to ask if they would also like something from the IOF. All three girls were already wearing clothing acquired in such a way, but variety was one of the spices of life. Wearing the same attire every single day might be convenient, but it was also a surefire way to get people to gossip about your finances and lack of sense...

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Since he didn't want to force Ghislaine to walk around in a restrictive kimono, Paul and co returned to the Inn for an impromptu, late-night fashion show. The unplanned event cost Paul a whopping 2300AGC, but, as even the swimsuits acquired from the IOF could be considered S-Rank Magical Artifacts, it was well worth the expense.

What surprised Paul was that the catalog had an entire section devoted to crossover outfits. One such outfit, originally reserved for Beidou, was the tattered yet stylish white kimono worn by Baiken in the Guilty Gear series. It wasn't exactly the most 'appropriate' attire for social occasions, but it suited Ghislaine to such an extent that Paul couldn't help purchasing it the moment he saw it.

Though she was initially put off by the idea of wearing another kimono, Ghislaine quickly learned that Baiken's 'bancho' attire was anything but restrictive. It emphasized her cleavage to an almost ludicrous extent, but, as Baiken was a master swordswoman, her attire was even easier to move in than Ghislaine's usual outfit. The only downside was that it wasn't even remotely suited to formal occasions, so Paul forked over an additional 100 AGC to acquire her a fairly modern-looking pantsuit. He originally tried to get her to wear a smock-like dress with a corset, but Ghislaine refused to even humor the idea of wearing a piece of clothing that compressed her diaphragm and made it difficult to contort her body. Her swordsmanship revolved around her natural agility and flexibility, so the only corset she would consider wearing was the lace one Paul sometimes had her and the other girls don in the bedroom...

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After yet another sleepless night, Paul was relaxing with Diona curled up in his lap when Noelle arrived to inform him that Dimsaul wished to meet with him. He wasn't really in the mood to entertain guests, but he thanked Noelle for her report before rousing Diona and getting ready for what he expected to be a long day.

*twenty minutes later*

Seeing Paul enter the lounge, Dimsaul and his adjutant immediately rose to their feet, bowing respectfully as the former said, "Good morning, Sir Paul. And thank you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice..."

Gesturing for the duo to raise their heads, Paul said, "Don't mention it," before taking a seat and asking, "So, what is this I hear about a group of Inquisitors raiding the warehouse we're leasing from House Fontaine? I understand they're an organization of zealots, but that's a transcendental level of stupidity."

Adopting a slight smile, Dimsaul replied, "Such is the way of those who have been in power for too long. They're so used to getting their way that they scarcely consider the consequences of their actions."

Approving of Dimsaul's words, Paul gave a slight nod before asking, "What are the damages?"

Retrieving a document from his adjutant, Dimsaul handed it to Paul as he explained, "Several of our wares were labeled as contraband and seized despite us having completed the necessary customs forms. We were told the items would be returned to us after an audit was performed, but such procedures generally take between six months to an entire year."

Furrowing his brows, Paul retorted, "What a farce. Someone is either attempting to keep us here or taking advantage of the fact we're in a 'hurry' to return to the Asura Kingdom."

Looking over the documents provided by Dimsaul, Paul noted that many of the items listed were, in fact, considered contraband within the city of Milishion. However, that was in regards to selling, not transporting them. So long as they paid the required tariff and signed documentation that affirmed they would not be distributing contraband within the city limits, storing and transporting such goods was entirely legal.

Folding up the document, Paul slipped it into his breast pocket as he said, "Just leave this to me. I'll be meeting with the Lady of House Fontaine this coming Sunday. If this matter isn't resolved before then, I imagine it won't take much longer."

Though the Order of the Temple could doctor or 'misplace' the customs records, one of the things that made Varuna so feared was the 'Blessing' she was known to possess. Her ability to discern whether or not someone was speaking the truth was on par with the highest-grade lie-detection artifacts. She also didn't hesitate to subject herself to a similar degree of scrutiny, so she was the nemesis of anyone that attempted to abuse their power and authority for deceit. The moment news of the raid reached her ears, Paul had little doubt that Varuna would be conducting an audit of all the people involved. If not for her inborn sense of justice, then to receive his praise...

Imagining his impending reunion with both Varuna and Barbara, a wry smile adorned Paul's face as he asked, "Is there anything else? If not, I'll leave the two of you to return to your duties."

With Paul promptly rising after he spoke, Dimsaul found himself in a rather awkward situation as he rose to his feet and hurriedly stated, "Ah, please wait a moment, Sir Paul. There was one other matter..."

Raising his brows, Paul turned to meet Dimsaul's gaze, asking, "What is it?" in a confused tone. Noelle hadn't informed him of any other matters, so he was in a hurry to return to his quarters and rest the remaining half hour before breakfast.

As he wasn't really in a position to delay Paul, a cold sweat broke out across Dimsaul's body as he explained, "Baroness Christina Lawrence reached out to us earlier this morning and asked us to inquire if you might accompany her mid-morning tea..."

"Ah..."

Recalling his mental image of the buxom, pink-haired auctioneer, Paul was genuinely tempted to accept her invitation. Unfortunately, not that he was complaining, he had already made plans with Venti, Ghislaine, and Xinyan. They were going to spend the day sampling the local wine and delicacies, so, as tempted as he was by Christina's invitation, Paul felt that pandering to the regional nobility was significantly less important than tending to his women.

Adopting a faint smile, Paul stated, "Please convey to Baroness Christina that I am grateful for her offer. However, as I already have quite a number of prior commitments, I must reluctantly refuse her invitation. If she'd like to reschedule for sometime next week, speak with Jean or Ganyu to make the arrangements."

Bowing alongside his adjutant, Dimsaul replied, "As you will, Sir Paul." He personally didn't think it was a good idea to blow off a rising member of Milishion's Nobility just to 'play around,' but he dared not question Paul's decisions. Even the weaker members of Paul's entourage were Saints and Kings, so he was clearly doing something right...

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"Hot damn..."

Though he had seen it the previous night, Paul couldn't help gawking at Ghislaine in Baiken's attire. If he wasn't aware of the outfit's origins, he could have easily been convinced it was custom-made specifically for her.

Crossing her arms in a manner that accentuated her breasts, Ghislaine pretended to be annoyed as she flatly remarked, "Yeah, yeah, I get it. You like big-breasted women. Do you really have to be such a horndog all the time...?"

Answering in Paul's stead, Venti animatedly replied, "Of course he does, my dear cat-eared friend! How else is he supposed to meet the needs of dozens of women~? You might only get horny during mating season, but some of us are active year-round, twenty-four-seven~."

Punctuating her statement, Venti clung to Paul in a way that sandwiched his arm between her borderline ludicrous bust. She was easily the woman Paul slept with the most, but that did little to quell her passions. Rather, every time she birthed a Seelie, she felt an almost overwhelming desire to produce another.

Observing Venti's behavior, the annoyed look on Ghislaine's face became genuine as she remarked, "You're even worse than a Succubus..."

Instead of being offended by Ghislaine's statement, Venti covered her mouth and snickered in a manner reminiscent of Kishirika. She and the two Demon Empresses had grown fairly close during Paul's stay in the Demon Continent, so many of their more 'demonic' traits had rubbed off on her.

Interjecting before a potential fight could break out, Paul teased, "The two of you got along well during the last Mating Season. What's with the sudden hostilities~?"

Clicking her tongue, Ghislaine averted her eyes and refused to answer Paul's question. She refused to admit she was envious of the attention Venti received, so she just remained silent, her tail swishing behind her in a manner that clearly conveyed her frustration.

Seeing Ghislaine genuinely upset, Paul was about to console her when the final member of their party, Xinyan, awkwardly raised her hand. She had become increasingly more reticent over the past two years, wearing her hair down and gaining a markedly more 'feminine' aura.

As the gazes of Paul, Ghislaine, and Venti all shifted to her, the look on Xinyan's face became marginally more awkward as she suggested, "We should probably get going. We're beginning to draw a crowd..."

Looking around, Paul noticed that quite a few people were observing them. The vast majority were stealing glances at Ghislaine's chest and Venti's partially exposed panties, but there were a few with disgruntled looks due to the commotion they were causing. After all, they were in the middle of the Commercial District.

Nodding his head, Paul extended his free hand to Xinyan as he said, "Then let's be off," in a sing-song tone. His actions caused the bronze-skinned beauty to visibly shrink, but it only took a moment for her to step closer and accept his hand. She may have mellowed out a bit during their stay in the Demon Continent, but it wasn't to the point she would refuse to hold hands with the man she loved...

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(A/N: If you want to see Ghislaine in a Baiken outfit, click this comment.)